babylon5fandomcom-20200225-history
Objects in Motion
People begin their preparations to leave Babylon 5: G'Kar and Lyta Alexander to explore the stars, Garibaldi and Lise to take over Edgars Industries on Mars. But before that happens, Number One comes aboard, bringing with her one last twist of fate. Cast Regular *Bruce Boxleitner as President John Sheridan *Jerry Doyle as Michael Garibaldi *Mira Furlan as Ambassador Delenn *Richard Biggs as Dr. Stephen Franklin *Bill Mumy as Lennier *Tracy Scoggins as Captain Elizabeth Lochley *Stephen Furst as Vir Cotto *Jeff Conaway as Security Chief Zack Allan *Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander *Peter Jurasik as Emperor Londo Mollari *Andreas Katsulas as Ambassador G'Kar Guest Starring *Denise Gentile as Lise Hampton-Edgars *James Hornbeck as Casey *Marjorie Monaghan as Number One Co-Starring *Jeffrey James Castillo as Guard *Walter Williamson as Paretti Featuring *Neil Bradley as Tra'nil Uncredited *Unknown as Everson *Unknown as Amestoy Cast Notes *Regular characters who appear in this episode are John Sheridan, Michael Garibaldi, Delenn, Stephen Franklin, Lyta Alexander, Zack Allan and G'Kar. *This episode marks the final appeance of Lyta. Patricia Tallman was supposed to resume the role in a flashback sequence in ''Crusade'''s "The Path of Sorrows", but couldn't make it due to scheduling problems, forcing a rewrite of her character. *This episode also marks the final appearance of Denise Gentile, who portrays Lise Hampton-Edgars. Summary Introduction There is a small commotion at Babylon 5 customs. A woman is having trouble getting through because her passport is not recognized by Security Chief Zack Allan. The woman, Tessa Halloran, patiently explains that the passport is Mars-issue; as an independent planet, Mars is entitled to produce its own credentials. Just then, Dr. Stephen Franklin happens upon them. He recognizes the woman as former Number One of the Mars Resistance and vouches for her. Allan lets her through at his word. Franklin comments that he never knew her name back then so did not know she was coming. Tessa explains that she has come looking for Michael Garibaldi. Garibaldi, meanwhile, is retching and complaining, as he typically does when he is trying to dry out from alcoholism. Lise Hampton-Edgars answers the door and is pleased to see Franklin. Halloran gets straight to the point. There is a contract out for their lives. Act I Halloran elaborates. When Mars declared independence, various firms with ties to Earth scrambled to cover up their corruption for fear of falling under the scrutiny of an independent Mars government eager to investigate their exploitation. Garibaldi and Hampton become involved because Lise is the legal owner of Edgars Industries, one of those firms with ties to Earth. While Hampton was not privy to her late husband's shady business, she would be interested in sweeping them clean. Since Garibaldi would be the kind of person who could help with that, he's targeted, too. The hit is to be done by a currently-unknown assailant before the two depart for Mars. At this, Franklin asks Garibaldi what's going on. The Narn idol worship of G'Kar continues to increase along with his aggravation. He cannot help but look at the crowd with a combination of disgust and regret. His current destination is Lyta Alexander's cell. He has come to make an offer; both of them have a need for isolation: she because her telepath powers are too dangerous for her to keep company, he because of his presence only fuels the idol worship. He offers to take her with him on a journey of exploration, far away from any Narn or Human. But when Alexander brings up the fact she was offering the Narns telepath DNA, G'Kar realizes she's still suspicious of everyone around her: reinforcing the fact she needs time away from humans. As he leaves, he bids her consider the mental obstacles she keeps in her mind. In his office, President John Sheridan confers with Allan and Franklin, and Allan comes up with an idea. Garibaldi and Hampton will be covertly moved to temporary quarters. Since G'Kar intends to leave in a few days, he decides to use that time to hold a going-away rally for all of them: forcing the hitman into a known window of opportunity where security will be ready for him. Garibaldi is mildly impressed at Allan's thoroughness, and Sheridan compliments Michael for teaching him so well. Now Sheridan pops the question about him leaving Babylon 5. Garibaldi comes clean; he knows he can't be placed in a position of trust within the Alliance anymore, so instead he is going to marry the woman he's known on and off for 15 years and instead go into the private sector running Edgars Industries with Hampton. Sheridan doesn't push it and instead tells Garibaldi to let them take care of him for once. A man joins a guard in a transport tube. Alone inside, the man suddenly knifes and kills the guard, taking his Link and replacing it with a replica. Act II The dead guard is found later, and Franklin has the body taken to Medlab for an autopsy. He and Allan discuss motive. As the act was done cleanly and quickly, Allan suspects a professional, but as the guard was new with a clean record, a reason for his death escapes them. In his quarters, the hitman disassembles the Link and tries to bypass its security protocols, but Links are built to resist such efforts; he can't access the security channels yet. Sheridan greets Halloran in his office, and she reveals the other reason for her visit. Earth has been engaged in stalling tactics for the past year: withholding accounts, limiting supplies, delaying recognition, and so on. The incident at customs was just the latest example of the red tape Mars has to fight as it tries to establish its sovereignty. Halloran fears Earth is doing this on purpose: trying to stir civil unrest so as to make Mars beseech Earth for assistance. Sheridan says the Alliance can help in this matter; he offers to set up a diplomatic office for them at the new ISA headquarters on Minbar. There, they'll be able to establish accounts and contacts that don't involve going through Earth, allowing them to truly act independently. His only condition is that she wait for a few days. He has an idea... The hitman finally bypasses the security locks and accesses the security channels. He routes the audio feed to an earpiece. As G'Kar looks on the preparations for his going-away rally in the Zócalo with mild disgust, another Narn approaches, asking why he's leaving. G'Kar explains that he does not wish to lead, and Narn attitudes prevent them from heeding his wisdom. The idol worship is causing Narns to do stupid things, so he is going to go away until the fervor dies down. Then the Narn reveals that he is the one who's been making the statuettes of G'Kar. G'Kar seethes and breaks the figure, telling the Narn in no uncertain terms to "go home." Allan meets Franklin in Medlab and is going through the dead guard's personal effects when something makes him pause. The guard's "Link" is stuck to the box. Since Links use a genetically-coded adhesive, it should not stick like that. Suddenly, Allan understands the motive; the killer took the Guard's Link so as to hack it and eavesdrop on security channels. It must be the hitman sent for Garibaldi and Hampton. He quickly leaves for the Station House. As the rally is about to begin, the hitman checks his earpiece and, confirming it is still receiving the security channels, leaves to commence his job. Hundreds of Narns gather for G'Kar's going-away rally. Allan and the hitman pass each other without recognition, but Allan is aware the hitman is present. Sheridan takes the time to offers praise and well wishes to both Michael and G'Kar. As he talks, Allan signals the Station House through a secure channel. He knows the hitman is using the dead guard's Link, so he sets up a little surprise. The Station House transmits a loud sound to that one Link. The hitman grunts in pain and has trouble taking aim with his PPG. Just in time, guards spot the hitman and arrest him. But at the same moment, the Narn who approached G'Kar earlier declared that G'Kar has abandoned his people. He raises his own gun. Allan notices and shoves G'Kar out of the way. The Narn's shot misses G'Kar but hits Hampton in the shoulder. Act III Franklin treats Hampton's PPG burns in Medlab. G'Kar regrets not being able to help beyond his assurances that the Narn assailant will be vigorously prosecuted, but Garibaldi explains about the hitman; the accident was just an unfortunate coincidence. As Franklin reports that Hampton is stable but now has to recover on her own, Garibaldi wonders what he can do in the meantime... and then realizes something. He leaves and, outside, Allan catches up with him wanting to talk about the Narn. Garibaldi instead wants to talk about the hitman. He wants five minutes alone with him; Allan knows it's against regs and begs him to reconsider. He takes the hitman to see Alexander. The hitman is familiar with anti-scanning techniques, but Alexander eventually slips through and learns his client: the Edgars Industries Board of Directors. Michael thanks her, and she reminds him of their deal: set up a shadow account in two years, and she will break Bester's mind block; otherwise, what happened to the hitman will happen to him. As G'Kar packs his belongings, Sheridan comes to see him. He had been hoping G'Kar would stay at least until Delenn returned, but after what happened earlier, G'Kar realizes he should leave sooner rather than later. He'd already acquired a gently-used long-range survey ship: ideal for a sojourn among the stars. So instead, the two reminisce, and Sheridan says he'll miss G'Kar, but then G'Kar notes that even as people go, a part of them stays behind. He suggests someday to go to a quiet part of the station to hear the echoes of all that passed through it. Then G'Kar admits that he, too, will miss Babylon 5. They warmly shake hands one last time and exchange final partings. It is at this point that G'Kar calls Sheridan by his first name John, surprising him before he leaves. G'Kar then goes to the BabCom station to dictate a message. Garibaldi is stirred awake as Hampton regains consciousness. It is an encouraging sign that she is recovering. He offers to get doctors to help with her pain some more and then leaves to find a minister; not for Last Rites, he assures her, but so they can get married there and now. As G'Kar waits at the docks, guards bring Alexander to him. He insists she be released from her shackles, but Alexander obliges on her own. The guards quickly leave, and Alexander admits that she could have taken the shackles off at any time. She didn't not only because it kept the guards quiet but also because wearing them for so long made her start to feel a little kinky. G'Kar admits he looks forward to facing the unknown. He sees adventure; she sees another book. As Allan quietly watches, G'Kar and Alexander board their ship and set out for the frontier. Act IV Back on Mars, the Board of Directors of Edgars Industries learn there is a call for them; it is Garibaldi. He reports that Hampton is recovering...and that he knows they sent the hitman meant to kill both of them. Mr. Paretti notes that Chief of Security Gregory Fitch had claimed responsibility for that hit... in a suicide note. Garibaldi doesn't buy it and starts noting how each of the remaining five Directors has some dirty little secret they wouldn't want revealed to the world. After all, digging out these kinds of secrets was the reason he was to be killed, he notes. Paretti demands to know how he came to know this. He reveals his replacement as head of ISA Covert Intelligence: Tessa Halloran. The board learns from the infamous Number One that she now knows about their anti-Mars actions and that, if that info got out on Mars, they would be "skinned alive." As she leaves, Garibaldi reveals that was only part one: intended to get them out of the company. To ensure they don't attempt any sort of revenge, he reveals a check for 500,000 credits drawn from the company account (which he can access now that he's married Hampton) to be deposited tomorrow morning in an undisclosed account; if he or Hampton die of anything other than natural causes, the money will be used as death bounties on each of them; 100,000 credits a head is well over the going black market rate, so the board knows there will be takers. Garibaldi expects their resignations on his desk by the time they arrive on Mars... or else. Franklin and Halloran talk over drinks in the Zócalo. Each is rather surprised at the sudden turn of events. With Halloran now head of Covert Intelligence, she can actually do more good for Mars by uncovering all the corruption. It seems ironic that Halloran will be moving here just as Franklin is about to leave to take up his new post on Earth. They try to pretend that they can turn their backs on the great relationship they had on Mars. He realize that they have more than an hour until his next shift starts and they can spend it celebrating her new job. He hurries to his quarters ahead of her to set the lights just the way she likes them. Act V Delenn returns from Minbar, reporting that the compound will be ready within a week. Hearing that makes Sheridan start to reminisce. The old guard is starting to leave. Delenn asks if Garibaldi had left yet, but as it turns out she'd arrived just in time to say goodbye. Hampton goes ahead so Garibaldi can spend a final moment in private. Garibaldi thanks Sheridan and Delenn for supporting him for the last four years; with his real family dead, they and the others were the closest thing he had had to a family for a long time. He also recalls his rather sour prediction he'd end up "face-down somewhere in Brown Sector". For the first time, he's glad that didn't happen. He actually looks forward to the future and a family he can call his own. He hugs Delenn and gives Sheridan a warm handshake and hug. They exchange best wishes as Garibaldi boards the shuttle for Mars. Now Delenn admits that she too can feel the growing emptiness, and they will be next. So she makes a suggestion. Why don't they take a final walk... down the entire five-mile length of the station? Memorable Quotes DVD Release This episode, along with the other 21 from Season 5 have been released on DVD with extensive Special Features. Notes *Last Rites are a Catholic and Orthodox tradition, not practiced by Protestant churches including Baptists. Though it is possible that the First Baptist Church of Mars does things differently. References External Link * Category:Babylon 5 episodes Category:Babylon 5 Season 5 episodes